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| Europe |
| Grecians unravelling November 17th group... |
| 2002-07-23 |
| Since police began hauling in suspected members of the November 17 terror group, Greeks have been stunned by the suspects' seemingly ordinary lives and jobs. One was an electrician. One was a retired printer, another a beekeeper. On Monday, a prosecutor charged 36-year-old bus driver Thomas Serifis for a number of felonies, including a bomb attack and the 1989 theft of dozens of anti-tank rockets from an army base. If convicted, the German-born Serifis faces a minimum sentence of 20 years. "He had no criminal record. He was a hard worker, donated at blood drives. He was never late for work. He was a nice guy," said Dimitris Moraitis, head of the public bus company where Serifis worked. Except when he was killing people... "In all the years I have studied terrorism, they have left me speechless. What I am trying to determine is the reason for this form, this organization," said Maria Bossi, a former member of Greece's anti-terrorist commission. "What we have seen so far resembles nothing in the world." [Insert cliche about the Banality of Evil] Police contend part of the reason they were unable to infiltrate the group for 27 years were the strong family and friendship ties between its members. Three of those in custody are brothers - sons of a Greek Orthodox priest. Another two were close family friends. Police are still hunting for beekeeper Dimitris Koufodinas, 44, who was living with the former wife of one of the brothers. So it was a family business. Makes it hard to infiltrate them, but when one starts singing you can be pretty sure of getting all the rest of them. November 17th is probably history now. That doesn't say that a completely different set of goobers isn't going to be inspired to set up in business to "avenge" them, of course... Another eight men, including alleged leader Alexandros Giotopoulos, 58, have been charged with crimes ranging from murder to armed robbery and planting explosives. Four have confessed to participating in assassinations, while Giotopoulos has denied any involvement in the group. "Y'got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! An' I ain't sayin' nuttin' widdout me mout'piece!" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |